Apparatus



(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 1.

L. K. JOHNSON 8: A. A. LOW. TYPE SETTING APPARATUS Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. K. JOHNSON 8x A. A. LOW.

TYPE SETTING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

,(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. K. JOHNSON & A.'A. LOW. TYPE SETTING APPARATUS No. 629,446. Patented Nov. 20, 1894.

16021 Mad i u (N0 ModeL) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L. K. JOHNSON 8; A. A. LOW TYPE SETTING APPARATUS.

No. 529,446. PaJ't nted Nov. 20, 1894.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

L. K. JOHNSON & A. A. LOW.

TYPE SETTING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. '20-, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE,

ASSIGNORS TO YORK, N. Y.

THE ALDEN TYPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW TYPE-SETTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,446, dated November 20, 1894.

Application filed March 28. 1894- Serial No. 505,399. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS KOSSUTH J OHN- SON and ABBOT AUGUSTUS Low, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Setting Apparatus, of which the following is a description, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

Our improvements relate to the class of type setting apparatus in which the types are arranged in prescribed positions with relation to each other in type containing channels from the lower ends of which they are successively forwarded into position to be grasped by the fingers of the compositor, for removal to the stick.

In our last application, Serial No. 503,088, filed March 10, 1894, we show means designed to relieve the compositor of the labor involved in forwarding the type from the containing channels into position to be grasped by the fingers of the operator; consisting essentially in combining with mechanism for reciprocating the type forwarder, a locking and unlocking device which is controlled and actuated by the types themselves,the removal of the types previously forwarded unlocking the type forwarding mechanism, and causing the advance of fresh types, which, as they come into position for removal by hand, reset and lock the type forwarding mechanism until they are in turn withdrawn and the operation is repeated, and so on continuously, the preceding types controlling the advance of the succeeding types. In said last applica tion the types themselves encounter and raise the outer end of the controlling lever. In our present application we relieve the types of this duty and of the wear and tear involved, so that the types simply support the controlling lever in its elevated position when they are fully advanced and in position for removal, their withdrawal allowing the forward end of the controlling lever to drop and throw into action the type forwarding mechanism.

The invention in this respect consists broadly in raising and holding the forward end of the controlling lever up above thetypes as the latter pass under by means of a projection upon the type forwarding mechanism, which, after said mechanism has started forward with the types and before the latter have reached the forward end of the controlling lever, encounters and depresses the rear arm of the controlling lever and holds the controlling lever in such position until, during the retractile movement of the type forwarding mechanism, said projection passes to the rear of the controlling lever and allows the forward end of the latter to rest upon the types just forwarded.

An incidental feature in this connection consists in forming the forward end of the controlling lever with a weighted bearing surface, which not only holds the type firmly in position underneath it, but also afiords means positive for insuring the forward movement of the type forwarder as soon as the types are withdrawn from position on front of the type platform.

Another feature of our invention consists in the use of a constantly reciprocating pusher bar to which the pusher plate or forwarder proper is coupled, or from which it is disconnected by a latch controlled by the controlling lever hereinbefore referred to. By this means a whole series of type containing channels, pusllers, &c., may be used in connection with a single constantly reciprocating pusher bar common to all, since the type forwarding plates individually will remain at rest in their retractile position until thrown into engagement by the depression of the controlling lever, consequent upon the withdrawal of the types previously forwarded by the individual pusher plate.

A fourth feature of our invention consists in centralizing the type containing channels within their holders by means of set screws, which may also be employed to compensate for the removal of one or more type containing channels when it is desired to group fewer characters together.

The invention is shown in the accompany ing drawings, and is herein described, as applied to type forwarding mechanism similar to that shown in our last application hereinbefore referred to, in which a plurality of type containing channels are supported in such re- IOO lation to each other that a single pusher plate forwards a-word or combination of letters which are made to converge and come together into position to be simultaneously grasped and removed by the fingers of the compositor.

Our invention is equally applicable to mechanism for separating and forwarding types singly, and we do not confine ourselves in the use of the automatic means for controlling the type forwarding mechanism to a plurality of type containing channels, arranged in groups.

In the accompanyingdrawings, for convenience of illustration we show our improvements as applied practically audoperativel y in connection with four type containing channels grouped together in a single holder; but A any number of single or plural-channel holders may be arranged in conjunction witha single constantly reciprocating type-forwarder bar or plate, the barbeingsimply made longer and formed with a series of'latch notches and lover raisers to correspond to the number of type forwardingplates and controlling levers to be used.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, isan elevation of the right hand side of our device, a-portion of the side wall being broken awayin front to show the forward end of the types as it advances underthe type bearing upon the forward end of the controllinglever. Fig.2, is a'front elevationof the device. Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the reciprocating pusher at *the end of its retracti-lemovement,-and the'types in their forward positions. Fig. 4, is a rear elevation of the device showing'the pit-manof the reciprocati-ngforwarding bar in cross section. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section uponplane of line 1:, 0, Fig.3, showing the screwsfor centralizi-ngthe type containing channels. Fig.6, is a plan of't'h-e device. Fig. 7, is a horizontal section through the side walls of the type channel holder upon a line with top of the pusher plate ribs, the reciprocating pusher bar and the-types being omitted in thisview. Fig.8, is a view similar to Fig.7, the-type forwarder plate being omitted. Fig. 9, is a central vertical section through the device; Fig. 10, a top view of the type pusher plate; Fig. 11, an edge-view of the same, showingthe latchi swung downward; Fig. 12, aview of the under; side of the-typepusher plate and l'atch; Fig. 13, a view of the under sideof the reciprocating forwarder; Fig. 14, a central vertical section showing the controlling lever de-' pressed by the removal of the types and the latch thrown up into engagement with'a reciprocating bar. Fig. 15, is a sectional detail showing the parts advanced slightly and illustrating the action of the latchas it passes over the supporting floor. Fig. 16,is an edge viewo-f the reciprocating pusher. Fig. 17, is a-vertical section upon plane of line w, w, Fig. 6.

In'the drawings A, represents the stationary frame or supportof suitable construction. The channel holder A, consists of a socket piece of rectangular-form, adapted to hold a plurality of channels, that shownin the drawings accommodating four type containing channels 0, resting against each other and suspended in position by pins 0, c, projecting from their spines, which pins 0, rest upon the upper edge of the socket A. The front of the socket A, and consequently the lower portion of the channels are closed by a flat guard at.

a',.is the type supporting platform upon which the lowest types in the several columns rest.

a 0. are parallel side walls, a a converging side walls similar to those described in our prior application hereinbefore referred to; and the whole operation of forwarding, converging, centralizing and presenting the types issubstantially thesame as that heretofore disclosed by us.

By reference to Figs. 10 and 11, more particularly, it will be seen that the pusher B, consists of a flat plate formed with the ribs 1), b, upon its upper surface. Ihe side walls of the channels extend down nearly to the level of the upper surfaceof the plate "B, the lower ends of their spines being notched as shown in Figs. 9 and 14, to admit of the passage of the ribs 6, upon the pusher B.

Pivotallyconnected to the rear of-the pusher plate 13, is the latch L, whichtends constantly to swing downward into'th-e position shown in Fig. 11.

The reciprocating forwarder F, which is actuated through the medium of the pit-man f, by any suitable mechanism is formed with a-recessf, in its underside adapted to receive-the tongue Z, of-the latch L, when the plate B, and'the forwarder F, are brought into proper relation toeach other. Thisoccurs-at the end of the retractile stroke of the forwarder F, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 14. If there are types '1, in position upon the frontof the type platform a, the bearing i, uponthe forwardend of the controllinglever I, is held up by them away from the type supporting platform a, as-shown in Fig. 9, and thecross bar 4 at the innerend of the lever I, (which latteris pivoted'intermediately at i cannot act to raise the tongue Z, of the latch L, into the recess f". If however,'the types T, have been withdrawn, the bearing 71, which isalso :a counterweight, drops down to-the platform a, and the cross bar 41 of thecontrolli-ng lever I, raises the latch L, into-engagement with controlling lever I, thereby raising the type bearing counterweight i, out of the way ofthe advancing type which pass under said bearing '5, and assume'their position at the front of the type platform a, at the end of the forward stroke of the reciprocating forwarder F.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, that the faces of the types do not encounter the forward end of the lever; and in fact there is no friction between the types andthe hearing whatever, excepting possibly during the withdrawal of the types from the front of the type platform by the fingers of the operator, for the reason that the projection f upon the reciprocating forwarder F, holds the controlling lever I, up against the weight 1', until near the end of the retractile movement of the forwarder F, when the projection f having passed beyond the rear end of the controlling lever I, the bearing 2', rests against the rear ends of the types just forwarded. Thus held, the cross bar 2' of the controlling lever I, is depressed, and as the retractile movement is completed the latch L, drops down, withdrawing the tongue Z, from the recess f, in the forwarder F, in which position it will remain until the removal of the types T again allows the counterweight bearing 2', of the controlling lever I, to throw up the latch L, into the horizontal position as in Fig. 14. The rear edge of the forwarder F, is inclined or curved toward the recess f, so as to gradually depress the latch L, until the recess f is brought into coincidence with the tongue Z, should the type be withdrawn and the latch raised while the forwarder F, is beyond the latch.

The set screws S, are so placed as to bear against the spines of the channels on either side of the holders A, through the side walls of which they are screwed. By their use the type channels may be accurately centralized with relation to the pusher, &c.; and by making the screws S, of sufficient length one or more of the type containing channels may be dispensed with or omitted from the holder A, if it is desired to use fewer characters in combination. This feature of our invention also adapts the device to types and channels of different sizes or fonts.

It is obvious that any other suitable means for adjusting and centralizing the channels may be substituted for the screws S, with like effect.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In type setting apparatus, the combination of one or more type containing channels, a type platform, a type forwarding plate resting upon said platform and formed with a latch, a constantly reciprocating bar, formed with an arm or projection which passes over and prevents the raising of the inner end of the controlling bar during the forward stroke of the said reciprocating bar, and said controllingleverarrangedto couple the type forwarding plate and reciprocating bar together by means of the aforesaid latch, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In type setting apparatus, the combination of one or more type containing channels, a type platform, a type forwarding plate resting upon said platform and formed with a latch, a constantly reciprocating bar, and a controlling lever counterweighted at its forward end to throw the said latch into engagement with the reciprocating bar, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. In type setting apparatus, the combination of one or more type containing channels, a type platform, a reciprocating bar, a type forwarding plate resting upon said platform formed with a latch for engagement with the reciprocating bar, and a controlling lever formed with a weighted bearing at its forward end for the purpose of steadying and holding down the types when in position upon the front of the type platform, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

LOUIS KOSSUTH JOHNSON. ABBOT AUGUSTUS LOW. Vitnesses:

GEORGE WILLIAM MIATT, D. W. GARDNER. 

